Nairobi — Kenya's top squash players are on the verge of missing out on an opportunity to play in the men's World Championships that start in Odense, Denmark, next week.

The reason is that the Kenya Squash Racquets Association (KSRA) has been unable to secure close to Sh1.7 million required for the team of four players and officials to travel.

The KSRA is one of the better run associations whose appeal for government funding has always fallen on deaf ears.

The KSRA's efforts to develop this sport, which enjoys great potential locally, have been further frustrated by the fact that squash is not an Olympic sport and can, therefore, not enjoy the alternative technical and financial support that comes from the Olympic Solidarity Programme offered through the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

Such government apathy has led to many so-called "smaller disciplines" like squash disappearing from the sports radar, their development stunted by lack of a solid government policy on sports funding.

From the President to the district sports officer, empty promises have been made that the much talked about draft Sports Policy would soon be passed into law. Nothing has been done to expedite the process.

Besides tackling key issues of governance, the Sports Policy lays out comprehensive ways of funding our sports, most significantly through a National Sports Lottery.

As long as no effort is made to fast-track the implementation of this policy, then fledgling sports like squash will never realise their full bloom, and our promising sportsmen and women will continue to despair.

We cannot continue giving lip-service to this important aspect of our national life, and it is time that sports development in every area was treated with the seriousness it deserves.

All that Kenyans hear is bickering between sports officials, and then blaming coaches when things go awry. Looking for scapegoats is not the way out.